Safer to be a boy!
by chbot16
Summary: Kaida has been disowned by her village for not excepting an arranged marriage. Running away and changing her appearance, she might just be safe. But how safe can you be when you end up in front of the Hokage.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't know when it was the last time I had something to eat. The only thing I do know, is that I have to keep running and not to stop for anything. Because they will catch up. I may have the head start, but they have a higher rank than me and they will catch me._

 **CHAPTER 1**

I don't know how long I have been running for, maybe 2, 3 days now. I'm tired, I'm hungry and I am in need for a serious bath. But I have no time for that. I have to keep running even if it kills me.

My name is Kagemusha Kaida and I'm the 'princess'(daughter of the leader)of my village. Well I was the princess, before the whole village disowned me and kick me out, all because I wouldn't marry an old man. Yes, he would bring money and protection to the village, but he would also destroy it. I just couldn't allow my village to get ruined by that man. He cruel and twisted sick man. Well, honestly most of the village is as well, but he is a 100 times worse. He wants my clans secrets for his own selfish needs and will do anything to get it. Such as, making up a god and saying I need to be sacrificed, but I need to sire his child first.

So yeah, thats the reason I'm running now. I snuck out late at night, every one was busy celebrating, as I was suppose to be marrying him in the morning. It was my maid that helped me escape. She was more my mother than my real one. I hope she stays safe..

God, I don't think I can keep running for much longer. I know I should be close to a village by now, and I really hope I am.

As I keep running through the deep green forest, I can see a crystal blue clear stream ahead of me. Strange. Debating whether or not I should stop for a drink, I come to the conclusion that there is no way I could keep running if I don't.

Reaching down at the stream, I look at my reflection. Wow, I'm a mess. All I could see was a wild looking girl. My once long, neat wavy golden brown hair. Is now dirty brown, matted with twigs and leafs sticking out in it. My once hazel eyes that were always so bright are now dull and sunken in. My clothes muddy and ripped with some blood smeared on them from the cuts all over my body.

Looking at my hair I sigh touching it lightly. Turning back to look out at the water, I standing up making my way into the water to have a quick wash. Tugging my fingers through my hair, to try get some matts out of it. I come up with a rash decision, I Reach for my bag, pulling out a kunai that I found lodge into a tree. Taking a deep breath in, closing my eyes... I cut a chunk of my hair off. I keep going until it feels even all around my head.

Opening my eyes, I look back down at the water and see what used to be my hair, floating gently a round me before following the current down the stream. Feeling my now short hair, it reaches just past my ears and comes into my eyes. I decide thats short enough and climb out of the water to dry off.

Before setting off, I take a few gulps of water and watch as my hair slowly drifts of with the current down the steam.

This is my new start, if I get away.

"Grrr" seemed to be the only sound I was hearing, accept for a few birds tweeting up in the tree. If your wondering what the 'grr' sound is...well it's my stomach telling me that I'm in need for food. Which I could tell without it telling me...by the pain pulsing through.

I've been running for a few more hours since the chopping of my hair. I haven't seen a soul and it looks like no one is following me. I really must of got a good start…

Running out of the tree line, I stumble on my feet and fall onto the ground harshly. Wincing I push myself back up. My palms are all cut open, with grazes up my arms and on my knees. Brushing my hands against my top I look at the ground. It's a road. No wonder it hurt so much falling onto it than when I fell before. Looking around to find any people, I come up across a huge green gateway with red writing and a symbol on the top.

This might be my chance to get some food. I've just got to try get my feet moving again. I feel like dead weight, they are so heavy…Steadily making my first step. A bit shaky, but not that shaky it will collapse underneath me. Taking my next step, I feel a bit better and I start walking towards the gate with a slow, yet shaky rhythm. The gates look about 10 meters away from me. I can make that, I hope.

Looking down at my feet as I walk, making sure I don't trip on anything. I notice to guards at the gates. One with crazy black spiky hair, with a bandage across his face. And one with a bandana with brown hair across his eye. Do you think just maybe they'll let me pass by if I just keep my head down and be quite. I just need food and I'll be out of their hair.

Suddenly I bump into something causing me to fall again and land hard on my hands. Biting my lip to stop myself from screaming. Quickly looking up, trying to ignoring the pain in my hands. I see a man with grey/sliver hair sticking up. His left eye covers up with a headband, with a metal plate with the same symbols carved into it. His mouth covered up with a blue mask. So only his right eye was showing, but I guess his hair gives away who he is. He was standing with his hands in his pockets with his head leans back, as though he would rather be anywhere else than here. Looking very relaxed, but you could see he was on guard.

"I'm sorry sir...I wasn't looking where I was going" I said sincerely with a strong voice, but then I mumbled of at the end. His eyes...eye? softened a bit, but he still looked at me as though I was a possible threat.

Flinching as he reached his hand towards me. He stopped for a small second but carried on.

"It's fine, you didn't hurt me. But are you ok? That was a nasty fall you took earlier"

Blushing. Ah, he saw that? Grabbing hold of his reached out hand, he helped to pull me up to my feet. "I'm fine sir, it wasn't that bad for a fall" I said quietly, brushing the dust of me. He looked as though he didn't believe my lie, as I wiped more blood on myself. "Sir?" he gave me a look for me to carry on. His one eye really tells you what he wants. "Can you tell me what village this is?"

His eye sharpened as he spoke "It's the village hidden in the leaf, Konohagakure"

What? But that's a 6 day travel. I'm sure I've only been running for 3 maybe 4 days. Has it been more? Looking up at him, he starts talking again.

"Well" he muttered taking his hands out of his pockets. "I need to take you to the Hokage"

"Huh?" looking up at him with my head tilted to the side a confused look on my face. "Why would I need to seen him? I only want something to eat and then I'll move on"

Sighing, he reached down and picked me up and put me over his the hell!

"Hey! Put me down you pervert!" I shouted hitting his back and kicking my legs about.

Looking back at me with a closed eyed smile "no can do. You could be a threat to the village young man." Young man? I'm a lady thank you very much…

"I'm not a threat!" I hit him again. If I was, I wouldn't be on your shoulders would I?

"Then what are you doing outside the village?" he questioned me. Seriously.

"I'm travelling. This looked like a good spot to get something to eat" I said. I'm not lying. I am trying to travel as far as I can go, but I'm not telling him the truth about running away, they'll probably try send me back.

He looks back over at me again as he carried on walking towards the gate "You're travelling alone?" hey kids can become ninjas at 7, I am 11 why is that so odd for me to travel on my own.

"Yes" I told him nodding my head.

"Where are your parents?" sharp inhale of air.

"I'm an orphan..." I said quietly, because god I am, realising the truth in those were selling me off, going to make me have a child at 11 then kill me when it's born. I'm better off as an orphan than those sick twisted people. I just caught the sad look that the man gave me. "It's alright sir, they weren't the nicest of people. I'm better off without them" I probably shouldn't of said that to him. He gave me a strange look, that I couldn't quite understand.

"Well thats more reason to take you to the Hokage! See if you can stay here for a while or permanently" he sounded so cheerful saying that. But I can't stay here. What if they find me and put the village in trouble. I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me.

Panicking, I push myself up from his shoulder "No! I can't stay!" I really can't!

"Ohh? Why not?" he raised an eye brow at me.

"Because..." because it'll put everyone in danger. But I couldn't make myself say this out loud. I don't know if he is a good guy or a bad guy. That man has people everywhere. So he might send me back to those monsters. I don't want to go back. Just let me move on please.

Narrowing his eye at me, he knows something is up "Well anyway, I still need to take you to the Hokage. You were outside the village and could be a threat" he said walking through the gates.

How do I get out of this one?

 ****End of chapter 1****


	2. Chapter 2

_**I apologise that this took me so long to update!**_

 ** _Chapter 2: Old man._**

We'd been walking for about 5 minutes now and I still haven't been let down (he's got very boney shouldersh) The looks that we are getting are starting to make me very nervous. People just move out of his way without even a blink of an eye and I'm getting such disgusted looks, like I'm a piece of filth on the bottom of their sandals. I mean, I thought Konoha was meant to be a nice, welcoming, peaceful village. Plus he keeps hitting me on the head, with the book, that I am trying to read over his shoulder, to see whatever that damn orange book is about because he fully ignored me and everyone around to read it.

"Come on! Please! Pretty please put me down!" I punched at his back "I can walk on my own, you know" seriously why is this old perv carrying me. "Or at least let me read over your shoulder!" I punched again at his back.

"Well I wouldn't want you to run off, do I?" why is he so cheery? "Also, this book is for my eyes only. You maybe be able to read it when you are older"

"Why?" What could he possibly be reading, that's something I can't read until I'm older? And then it clicked "Its smut, isn't it?" Only thing I know old people are cautious about us kids reading. Wait a second..."Wait! Are you reading smut whilst you are carrying me! Openly in the middle of your village?" No way... "Eww! Put that book away!" I'm embarrassed to admit I shrieked there... "You really are a pervert! The book need to be set of fire!To be burned till it's only ashes left!" My face turning green, I now fully understand why he was randomly giggling now...

Shit. Why has everything suddenly gone so cold. Why can't I move. It's like someone has just slowly walked over my grave with their glimmering black scythe. That even if I tried to take a breath in I won't live to see the next moment. What is going on? Why Am I shaking.

"You will not touch this book with that means of harming it. Am I clear?" Why is that closed eye smile so scary?

Swallowing, I stutter out my reply "Yes sir. Crystal clear." I'm Crystal clear that you are an absolutely terrifying man and now understand why people just move out of the way for you...

"Good girl" has said as he pats my head, as though I'm a good dog. Before I could even think about him calling me a girl, I notice that we are now standing in front of a large red building.

Lifting me off his shoulder, he gently places me on the ground. Huh? I though he was worried I'd run off. Looking up at him I tilt my head slightly in confusion.

"I'm not carrying you all the way up those stairs. Plus you barely have an ounce of muscle on you and you're already tired, so going up these stairs just means you'll be even more tired and less likely to think about what you are going to say" I'm sure he's not meant to tell me stuff like this... "and this is punishment" what? "You are going to make me walk through a door. And that's one of my top rules avoid the use of doors" he fished of with one of his closed eye smile. I'm starting to thick that's his dare/challenge face.

Pushing me slightly forward, I come face to face with my doom.

Oh god I'm going to die. My legs are jelly and I can't catch my breath. Holding myself up against the wall, I glare at the back of the grey haired ninjas head. He's the devil himself! Oh how I wish I could shot lasers out of my eyes.

"You alright kid?" I turn to come face to face with another Konoha ninja. He had two scars on the right side of his face, a goatee and his hair looked like the top of a pineapple. He looked like he didn't want to be here either.

"I'm fine sir, just trying to catch my breath" and wishing I didn't get put back down on my feet.

"First time up these stairs?" He looked amused now "my son use to stop about one third up and take a nap"

"A nap sounds nice" I blurted out. It really would be. On a nice comfy hill with a slight breeze in the air. Nobody around, just some birds singing away. Feeling myself start to smile at that though, Suddenly there was a clicking sound in front of me, breaking me away from my day dream.

"You still with me kid" oops, I could feel me face heating up with embarrassment. I hear him chuckle. "Come on kid, let's get you up to the top. So you can get to you nap quicker" he places his hands on my shoulder and starts to push me forward.

I can do this.

Pulling all my will power together I start climbing the rest of the steps. Hearing a chuckle again, he shocks me by ruffling my hair as he walks past me.

"You've only got 14 steps left it'll be over in less than a minute"

I need to prove that grey hair ninja I can do this. I need to prove myself. I've spent 4 or more days of non stop running. I can last a few more hours, until this is all cleared up and then I can get something to eat, some sleep and move on.

I collapsed the moment I got to the top. My legs just couldn't hold my weight any longer.

"Well done kid" my hair gets ruffled again. Smiling gently, yeah its nice being praised for once and not shouted at.

"Up you get" I feel hands come underneath my arms and lift me up and place me on a familiar shoulder. "Well done" feeling my hair get petted. Having no strength I just let my self fall into dead deer position.

"She yours Kakashi? I heard the talk around the village of you carrying a kid through the village" the man still sounded amused. I think we may have just made his day. At least I know the pervs name now.

"Mah, just found it outside the village looking all pitiful and I just couldn't say no to the puppy eyes, so here we are to ask for a place to stay in the village" my eye twitched, did he seriously just call me 'it'?

"I just wanted something to eat and then I would of been on my way" I mumbled out " I don't want to stay here"

I think they heard me, by the small twitch of the shoulder, but they both just ignored me. Getting hoist up further to be just a little be more comfortable. We start moving.

"See you Shikaku" he waves with his back turned to the man I now know is called Shikaku

"Bye and thank you" I mumble looking over to him.

"You're welcome kid" he smiles gently at me "if you get to stay in the village, I'll buy you some dinner. You look like your wasting away and that the wind could push you over" he laughs.

Blushing, I just nod my head in acceptance and watch him walk away down the hall.

"The Hokage is ready to see you both. You can just go though" I hear someone say behind me.

Right here we go.

 _ **To be honest I felt like ending here, but that would of been really mean and for how long some of you have waited for a update, I thought it was best not.**_

I squeezed my eyes shut together as tight as I could, I don't know what to expect of any of this. I know in my old village any outsider close to the village would be taken to interrogation, no matter what age. Most of the time you never saw them again even when you could tell they were civilians.

"Ah, Kakashi what do you have here" I heard a kind voice ask.

Once again I was being lifted up by this guy. Gently placed on the floor he pats my head and pushes me forward a little bit. I don't lift my head up from the ground and keep grip on the front of my top.

"I found her outside the village heading to come in. I brought her here to make sure she isn't a threat and to see what I should do" he explains sounding bored, but it's exactly the same thing he told me. That alone lets me calm down a little bit. No ulterior motive.

"Child it's okay to look up, you're not in trouble" yet. I could hear it at the end even though he didn't say it. Slowly lifting my head up, I look to see an old man in a funny white hat with the symbol of fire on it. He had kind eyes and spoke to me with a soft smile on his face. "Come forward child and tell me your name"

Deep breath in. I move forward a little bit "My name is Kagemusha Kaida" his eyes widen just a little bit at my name.

"Now little princess what are you doing all the way out here?" He was now on alert, by how he sat up just a little bit taller. He could get accused of kidnapping with me being here.

"I was disowned..." I mumbled out. Shit, his eyes have narrowed, he probably expecting me of killing someone. Why else would a 'little princess' get disowned I thought bitterly.

"Why?" There was no move of not answering this question. Another deep breath.

"I wouldn't marry a man that would bring in money to the village" I looked down wringing my hands together. God that sounds so selfish of me.

"Isn't it your job to help provide for the village" Kakashi prompted. Whipping my head as fast as I could towards him, I glare at him. Who does he think he is asking me if that's my job!

"It my job to try keep the village at piece. Not to a man, that has made up some fake God! for me to be sacrificed too and to greedily get all my clans secrets by being tied to me. And the bastard still had the nerve to tell me he wants me.

So being sacrificed and having his fucking child before I'm 15. Being there for his every fucking 'need' from now to the day he kills me was not something I was going to do. Was not something I would give up my life for. My village wouldn't of made it out with him running it"

I growled out clenching my fist "My father didn't like me saying no to it. He truly believes we will all die if I don't have this mans child and die for the village. So out of anger, he blurts out that he disowns me. And in our family are words are binding, so the moment he said it, I was and it couldn't be taken back." Both men looked slightly shocked and angered by this. Kakashi looked like he was about to speak. But I wasn't finished yet.

"Now this truly pissed of that man. You see you can't get our clans secrets if you are an outsider. You have to marry the next head. And with me being disowned, I was no longer that and my father can no longer produce another. So he killed him thinking that would make me head. The only thing it did was end my family. We are no longer in connection of our shadows..." the pain of the connection splitting ran through my mind "My ancestors made it so we could never kill the head of family to be the next, scaring us in place to behave and follow our ranks we were born with"

"Your ranks?" The Hokage inquired, he looked every bit of the reasons why he was called leader of the village but pity still shined through his eyes, from how he was taking everything in from what I was saying.

"The family is set like a pack. Alpha, beta, omega. But we also had 'Kings' and 'queens' that were in control of certain group, whilst the Alpha being in control of everybody.

The men were the fighters, the ones that made the money and protect. Well that was what they were suppose to be. But they were cruel and liked to push anyone lower than them around. See we had to follow their orders and if they were a higher rank. We honestly couldn't reject any order. I was a lot luckier than the rest of the women. I'm classed as 'Luna' and the next 'alpha'. So even my father had a hard time controlling me. All he could do was make it so no one could train me physically for combat. I was pushed and pushed with knowledge, but fighting was a no. All I could get away with was running. If anyone saw me training, I was locked in my room."

"So you ran after your father was killed" the Hokage leant forward looking as though he was trying to understand everything I was saying. But even I thought it all sounded crazy.

"The moment he was killed the ranks vanished. People were angry with how they were treated and started to fight back with anyone who bullied them. The one things the ranks did was add extra boost of power with the higher ranks. With that gone, it showed that they were all equal power or lower than all the omegas. It was a blood bath"

"What about you? Did the omegas attack you?" The Hokage leant forward.

"No" I shook my head. "I was their voice, trying to stop them from getting bullied and protect them as much as I could. They were the ones that got me out of the village, saying they would protect me for once" I whispered, remembering that night.

"Why were you outside mine?"

"I've been running non stop. I was getting chased and I have no clue if I still am. I haven't dared to stop. I thought I could try get something to eat And start running again. I honestly had no clue what village I was in front of"

"You seemed to object to staying in the village?" Kakashi asked. His hand was on my shoulder squeezing it a bit tightly and looked like he wanted to hide me from the world. The old man looked so sad that I wanted to console him.

"I don't want to put your village in danger..." I whispered, I don't want to cause more blood shed and pain.

"Hmm, from what you have said, it sounds like it was a political battle and didn't start out with fighting. So who ever has gone for your village isn't that well trained in fighting or they don't want to start anything with the neighbouring villages. So if they are political and your family has ended they have no claim to get to you" he stopped for a moment to think and take a puff of his pipe "are you a ranked ninja?"

"No sir, my father didn't want me to fight at all" a bit confused to why he asked that.

"If you become a ninja of mybvillage you can stop running altogether, and have a somewhat happy life. We just need for you to stay low for a few months, maybe to a year. Whilst we get your village under control. Because of who you are, even though your family has ended, you are still the new leader of the village. Your name was already written down. If none of this had happened, you would of started to meet the other village leader. We all had letters to say your father would be stepping down soon. We can just push forward those meetings and get you prepared and trained up to be a great leader. You already carry the will of fire better than some of my top ninjas. I would just expect and alliance with you."

Wholly fuck. This was nothing like I was expecting. I had no clue my dad wanted to step down. I always thought he was against me being the head, but then again he didn't always act the way you expected him to. He liked confusing everybody.

But staying low, wouldn't I have to be there to help my village?

"Um? What do you mean by staying low, sir?"

"I'm sorry to say that you will now have many assassination attempts. You are the leader until you are dead. I understand that your father wanted you away from violence but he has made this a lot easier for someone to kill you." Shit "So it would be best for you to stay low and train. Come up with something like you've gone to train and you can put someone you trust in charge of the village until you come back and are ready to stand up to everyone mentally and physically. But you don't have to lead until you are 20 and then you can still pick someone else or merge it with an exciting village"

That I knew about, being 20 to be ready to fully take over. Even if my dad was getting me ready to be leader sooner I wouldn't be full leader till that age. I just didn't realise I could reject being leader. I kinda like the merging idea, make mine and some one else's village stronger.

"How would I stay low sir?" I inquired.

"Well, when you first walked in I thought you were a small boy." He chuckled to himself. "So if you could pass your self on as a boy and try hide all the feminine side, people who are looking for you will just walk on right past you and people who already think you are a boy will just confirm that they are seeing something that's not really there?" He smiled at me, pushing me to just think about it.

It just sounds a bit exaggerated. I mean Kakashi has already figured out I was a girl and Skikaku new straight away. From my face experience I guess it showed I didn't really believe it.

"I only knew you were a girl once I picked you up. There is a tiny difference between boys and girls and that is smell. With the fall you had taken, you had covered your self in some mud, with that your scent is a little bit covered up. But when you were close I caught it. Also Shikaku just knows stuff but the moment I said it, he didn't mention gender again and he won't do until he's been told he can."

He also just kept calling me kid... even before asking Kakashi. Well I guess I've got my answer. Standing up tall and looking straight into the Hokage eyes I spoke.

"Well, I guess it's safer to be a boy."

 _ **End of chapter two**_

 _ **that's kind of taken me 4 years (for those on Wattpad) to get to. I am so so sorry that it has taken me so long to write it.**_

 _ **I knew what I wanted the first chapter to be and I knew where I wanted to go. I just didn't have a clue how to get it going.**_

 _ **So that's why there is a lot of information in this chapter I wanted it to be long to make up to you all and I didn't want to lose what I had in my head at that moment.**_

 _ **I don't know how long it's take me to write the next chapter but I'm sure I'll be quicker this time with everything set for the story to go on.**_

 _ **Please review and if you have anything you want to come up in the story, I am happy to hear about and if I really like it, it will pop up in the story.**_

 _ **So thank you all for reading this story and I would be happy if you could check out my other ones too!**_

 _ **I've also taken all day to write this, so if you spot any mistake just point them out, I've kinda gone blind from seeing it all now...**_

 ** _Thank you for reading xx_**


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